


Instead of Goodbye

by lawlessxrecalcitrant



Category: Hero Mask
Genre: F/M, Holy shit this is the first fanfic in the fandom, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I didn’t edit this like at all so fair warning, I didn’t get enough, It’s good, Shameless continuation of the ending, Spoiler alert: it’s not great, Yes there’s an age gap but it’s legal so get outta here, fight me you cowards, plus on Netflix so what’s the matter with you people??, why the hell hasn’t anyone watched this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-09-29 23:30:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20444390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lawlessxrecalcitrant/pseuds/lawlessxrecalcitrant
Summary: Simply a shameless continuation of the ending of Hero Mask Season 2 wherein Tina Hurst bumps into James Blood after the mask case is closed and appears grown up so James doesn’t recognize her. In this version, they bump into each other two years after the mask case is closed and their relationship begins anew now that Tina has grown up.





	1. Meeting Again

It had been two long years since she had last seen him, yet here he was, on the sidewalk in the middle of London, picking up her notes on pharmaceuticals after they had bumped into one another. Still such a gentleman. 

James Blood gave her a smile, offering the papers to her while his kind blue eyes searched her face. As expected, he didn’t recognize her as the same teenaged girl he had so fiercely protected over two years ago. She had grown up so much in the last couple of years that no one would’ve recognized her, so she didn’t blame him for telling her to take care and walking away toward a café. 

Still, the encounter had made her heart race, bringing back memories of the past she had buried in the back of her mind. Even if the memories were somewhat traumatic, the real reason for repressing them was because of _him_.

Two years ago, after being captured and taken to the lab where her mother and father had worked to develop the masks, the mask that had integrated with her body before birth had been taken away by Doctor Geffery Connor in an attempt to finish the mask project once and for all.

She had been on the floor, dying, thinking it was all over for her when James Blood appeared at her side once again. ‘How can this be? I’m sure I saw him get shot and fall from the helicopter! He’s supposed to be dead!’, she remembered thinking to herself as her life force faded away, ‘though it doesn’t matter now, it’s too late for me, anyway...’ It appeared as if the young detective didn’t feel the same way, and she watched in horror as he jumped into the pool containing the remaining masks.Then, there was an explosion in the pool. James came out with terrible burns all over his body, holding a mask in his hand. He had collapsed when he finally made it to her, now very likely dead.

At that time, she refused to take the mask and placed it on the man who sought to save her instead before passing out herself. She awoke later in a hospital bed, informed by her father that her grandfather had given her the remaining mask, and it had reintegrated with her body flawlessly. “Where is James?! Is he alright?!”, she had asked immediately, and her father nodded, “He’s doing just fine. The mask you gave him healed up his gunshot wound and burns without any side effects.” 

She had breathed in relief, so glad to hear he was alive and well, but she never got to see him again. ‘James is just busy, it’s no big deal.’ she had told herself, yet nothing made her feel better about never saying goodbye to him or thanking him for all he had done for her. Their sudden parting had hurt her more than she could say, but she buried it in her heart, knowing it wasn’t her place to say anything.

Until now, that is. 

Seeing him again brought everything back. She could no longer ignore the need for closure, and determined to meet up with him just one more time as she watched him walk away. It couldn’t happen today, however, since she had Uni classes then part time lab work with Anna Winehouse who was now a close family friend. She resolved to make contact with James later in the week, and tried to keep him out of her mind until then.

Friday afternoon, she made the long journey from her University class to the SSC building where she knew James worked, stopping only once in a bakery to buy him a small gift. When she arrived, she entered the lobby and asked a guard when James Blood would be finishing up for the day. The guard shrugged. “The members of the SSC have odd hours due to the nature of their jobs, so he could be finished within the hour, or he could be up there until late this evening. Would you like to leave a message for him?”

The young woman shook her head. “No, I’ll just wait for him.” 

Eying her suspiciously, the guard spoke again, “As I said, he may not come out until late this evening. Are you sure you want to sit here even though it might be a long time?”

“Yes, I’m sure. I need to see him.” she answered firmly, causing the guard to give her a shrug. 

“Suit yourself.” He said nonchalantly, pointing to a couple of chairs over by the windows she could sit in while waiting.

With a nod, she mentioned, “Thank you very much.” Before moving to occupy one of the chairs. It didn’t take much time before she fell asleep, her long, strawberry blonde hair falling into her face below her sunhat, tilted down to keep the sun from her eyes. It had been a long day of tests and early morning labs, so she was more than ready for a nap.

Finally, at 11pm, James left the elevator and walked into the building’s lobby, only to be flagged down by the guard behind the front desk. “Your girlfriend is here waiting for you. Jeez, she’s cute. You’re a lucky man!” The man told him with a grin. 

“Girlfriend?” James repeated incredulously, letting out a chuckle, “I’m married to my job, I don’t have time for anything else.”

“Well whoever she is, she’s been sleeping in that chair for the last few hours waiting for you.” He shrugged, pointing to the young woman.

James’ blue eyes followed the guard’s finger to a young woman curled up in a comfortable chair by the window, her sunhat tilted to keep the light from her face as she slept. At first glance, he didn’t recognize her at all and took cautious steps toward the sleeping figure. Was this some sort of trap? No one had ever come here and waited for him like this before.

The girl’s chest rose and fell rhythmically, making the young detective relax just watching her peaceful form. This wasn’t anyone hostile. As he approached, he noticed a brown paper bag and a book bag set by the side of the chair,and as he leaned forward to look inside, there were several books about chemistry, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare peaking out. A student?

Gently, he tilted the floppy sunhat up so he could see her face. It was distinctly beautiful and familiar somehow— causing him to pause and gaze down at her for some time. The poor girl must be tired indeed since she slept through it all, completely innocent and unaware to James’ presence. A familiar face of a young woman, schoolbooks on topics related to medicine, a beautiful girl who slept so serenely in the foyer of the SSC.

All at once, it hit him.

“_Tina_..?” He called softly, his eyebrows raised in surprise. At the sound of her name, Tina Hurst stirred, her green eyes fluttering open to focus on the man before her.

“Nnn... _James_..?” She murmured, her mind sill foggy from sleep. It almost felt as if she had been suddenly propelled two years into the past.

“Yeah, it’s me.” He smiled at her, genuinely surprised by her sudden reappearance in his life. If he was being honest, the young detective had always felt a little guilty that they hadn’t seen each other after nearly dying side by side on the cold floor of the ruined lab, but they had been taken to separate hospitals and he had been briefed on another assignment. Life never paused for a second at the SSC. “What are you doing here?” He asked gently, “Why are you waiting for me so late at night?”

Realizing she had fallen asleep for quite a long time, a slight blush came to her face and she sat up straight to look at James. He was still as handsome as ever with that short, chestnut brown hair of his and those deep blue eyes, his torso clad in that same red and black jacket she always remembered him wearing. Tina’s face turned a deeper shade of red. “I... Well...” she muttered, feeling very shy all of a sudden, “I saw you in central London a couple days ago and it reminded me... We never went to that fancy café together after everything with the masks ended, and I... Never got to thank you properly for all you did for me, so...”

James gave her a warm smile. “You know you never had to thank me for protecting you. It’s my job to protect the people who need it most.”

The young woman shook her head and looked up into his blue eyes with her own green ones, her gaze serious and intense. “I know, but it meant so much to me... No, it _still_ means more than I could ever say that you put your life on the line like that without question for someone you didn’t know. You also helped my father when we were attacked by Connor and his associate, so I owe everything to you.” Then, she remembered the small gift she had purchased for him on the way over to the SSC from her school and reached into the brown paper bag that sat next to her book bag. 

“Here... This is for you. I know it isn’t much, but I hope you’ll like it anyway.” she told him quietly, offering him a clear takeout box with a piece of strawberry shortcake inside. “It’s my favorite kind from a special bakery I know. My dad has been taking me there ever since I was just a kid. Apparently this was my mom’s favorite, too.” 

After a moment of hesitation, James took the cake from her gratefully. “Since you were a kid, huh? You’re still a kid!” he joked, then added, “Thanks, Tina. I know I said this before, but you really didn’t have to do this. I was only doing my duty as an officer of the law.”

She shook her head again, but this time with a small smile on her lips, “I’m not a kid anymore; I’m 18 now and in University.”

“Oh— of course you are.” He corrected himself immediately, eyeing her from head to toe, “You’ve really grown up in the last two years. I hardly recognized you with your longer hair, especially since it’s lighter. Well that, and...” James’ voice trailed off and a very slight bit of color appeared on his face. “You’re a beautiful young woman now.”

Tina’s heart skipped a beat as he spoke the last few words. Was he... _Complimenting_ her?

“I-I was hoping... If you’re not too busy with work, I wanted to treat you to that fancy café we had always talked about going to sometime soon.” Her words were somewhat choppy as they left her lips, but she couldn’t help it. Being around him had always given her a sense of security and warmth, but now... There was something else there, too. Something that had been building inside of her for a long time. “But of course, if you’re too busy, I understand. You have people to save, and that’s much more important than going to a café with me, even if we planned it two years ago. I brought that piece of cake for you just in case we won’t see each other again. I just... Wanted to give you something to say thank you.”

A pang of guilt ran through him as he heard her talk about the possibility of not seeing each other again, but he knew there wasn’t much he could do about it. His job often demanded all of him, so he didn’t keep in touch with others outside of the SSC very well. “I think you know I would _love_ to go to a café with you sometime, but recently, I’ve been... There’s this case that has demanded all of my attention. That’s sort of how the job goes...” he sighed, giving her a sorry look. He really did want to go with her, but he hardly ever had the time. As a 25 year old detective with the SSC, anything could happen, and it was critical he was available to respond to a threat or crime at all times.

Even though she had prepared herself for it mentally, she still felt her heart sink. How foolish. “It’s... Okay! I thought you’d be busy, so... I didn’t put my hopes on it. It was just a silly suggestion, so don’t worry about it!” She said quickly, more to convince herself than James. Maybe this whole thing meant more to herself than she had realized. Why did she feel like she was about to cry? 

“It’s not silly.” The young officer told her seriously, a frown on his lips, “It would mean a lot to me if we could go together just like I promised.” The way that stunning young girl was looking at him so dejectedly made his heart ache. Two years ago, there was no denying that they had a special sort of friendship, and he didn’t want to brush that off. He knew it took a lot of guts for an 18 year old to cross the city alone in hopes of meeting up with someone she knew two years ago and never got to say goodbye to. The very fact that she was here meant a lot to him, so wasn’t it only fair to try his best to reciprocate the effort?

“How about this...” he began, considering his words as he spoke, not wanting to give her any false hopes, “Give me your number, and I’ll contact you if I ever have an open day. Does that sound alright? I know it’s not a solid plan or anything, but it’s the best I can do right now.”

As soon as he said it, Tina’s face brightened considerably. “Really? I’d be happy if you’d do that. I’m a bit busy myself with school and everything, but if contact me and say you have a day off, I promise to make it.” She nodded, then searched her book bag for a business card.

On it was the name “Tina Hurst” under the large logo of Echoes, as well as her position of “Lab Assistant” and several ways to reach her. “Here, this is my card. I work part time at a Echoes as a lab assistant under Anna Winehouse. The phone number is my mobile so you can contact me any time.” She told him with a slight smile, handing over the card. 

James took the card, impressed. ‘She must be pretty damn smart to already be working under Anna as a lab assistant.’ He thought to himself as he glanced over the piece of paper. “Alright, I promise I’ll let you know if I have some free time. But now... You should be getting home, it’s late. And since you’re alone... Would you like me to accompany you?” He offered, tucking the piece of paper in his pocket. Even though he knew she was more than capable of seeing herself home, he still felt oddly protective of her.

The young woman shook her head, “No, I’ll be fine on my own. I don’t want to be trouble for you, especially since you just got off work. You must be tired.”

“It wouldn’t be any trouble, really—“ he began to say, but was soon cut off.

“It’s fine, James, I promise.” she told him with a hint of a smile, “Thank you for always considering me first.”

“Alright, alright, then at least let me give you some money for a taxi, okay? What sort of SSC officer would I be if I let an 18 year old walk home alone at 11:30 at night?” He joked, stuffing his hand into his pocket and pulling out a £20 note. “This should be more than enough.”

At first, she wanted to decline and tell him she was completely fine taking the tube, but realized that he would probably insist on taking her home himself if she did, so she took the money. “Thank you, I am once again in your debt. It was so nice to see you again today.” _I’ve missed you._ “Please be safe on the way home, and I look forward to hearing from you sometime.” she said while giving him a cordial bow, then looked up at him for a beat before placing a soft kiss on his cheek.

“T-take care.” She murmured and turned away quickly, her cheeks burning. Did she really just do that? What was she thinking?!

The young detective was surprised by the kiss, but touched his cheek fondly as he watched her exit the SSC building to hail down a taxi. When had she gotten so damn _cute_?


	2. Anticipation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, yes, I know I took a long time to describe her outfit but I wanted you all to picture how cute she looked for her meetup with James, okay? Okay. Also I clearly took some liberties with expanding all the canon personalities because otherwise how the hell would I write this story?

The weeks went by as summer slowly turned to fall, the air in London becoming colder and the leaves in the city beginning to change into a multitude of colors. It had been easy for Tina to get caught up in her studies while patiently waiting to hear from James, but she could never get him off her mind completely. 

“You seem distant as of late, Tina. Is there something wrong?” Anna Winehouse asked one brisk afternoon as they sipped tea in her office.

“Oh, no, nothing is wrong. I just have a lot on my mind. Thanks for your concern, though.” She shook her head, giving a grateful glance in Anna’s direction. In the last two years, Anna had become somewhat of a mother figure to her. They were quite close now, and the fact that the pharmaceutical executive and researcher had known her mother so well certainty didn’t hurt things.

A sly smile appeared on Anna’s face as she looked back at Tina, seeing an almost complete carbon copy of her mother. “You know... You are acting like Julia did when she first fell in love with your father.” she said coyly, “It doesn’t have to do with a boy, does it?”

The young woman’s face turned bright red at the question, and she looked down, trying to hide it in vain. “Um... No...” she muttered, but she knew Anna wouldn’t be so easily fooled.

“Ah, so who is it? I know a couple of the younger male lab workers have been glancing at you more than usual. Could it be one of them?” Her sly smile only grew. She may be a renowned scientist, but she still had a soft spot for couples falling in love.

“No, it’s not anyone from the lab, it’s...” Tina paused, not wanting to give up her secret just yet, but knowing it would come out eventually anyway. “It’s James. James Blood.” She admitted in a defeated tone, but quickly added, “But I’m not in love with him! I just... Haven’t been able to get him off my mind.”

Two thin, white eyebrows raised in surprise. “James Blood? The detective with the SSC?” the older woman questioned. 

“Yes... That’s him. He’s too busy to do anything with me, though.” Tina nodded, her cheeks still red. As if on cue, her phone vibrated in her pocket, signifying a message had been received. “I’m sorry, give me a second to check this, it may be my professor emailing me back about an assignment.” Anna gave her a dismissive gesture signaling that it was fine to check her phone, so she fished her phone out of her pocket and read the message. It was not the message she _thought_ she was going to receive, but the one she _wanted_ to receive. At last.

**[Text From: Unknown Number]**

**15:26 PM**

**Hey, this is James. Tomorrow I get off work early so let’s meet up. I get off at 4:00. Just let me know the name of the café and the time and I’ll be there.**

**— J**

Tina gasped out loud, unable to contain her excitement.

“What is it? Everything okay?” The older woman raised an eyebrow. 

“Yes! It’s James... And he wants to meet up tomorrow!” She smiled, looking over to Anna happily.

To her surprise, the elder didn’t mirror her excitement, but instead looked pensive and concerned. “I know that James is a good man, Tina, but you have to be very careful with you’re around him. Dangerous situations tend to follow him wherever he goes, and I don’t want you to get caught up in anything. It’s important to lay low, as you’re well aware. If anyone besides the SSC, your dad, or I learns of the mask still in your body, there’s no telling what they might do.” Anna spoke with all the cold seriousness one could imagine coming from a scientist, and even though Tina knew she was right, she wasn’t about to let her spoil the good news.

Respectfully, the younger woman nodded. “Yes, I promise I will be careful. It’s only for this one time. After that, we..” She faltered, not wanting to imagine it just yet, “We won’t see each other again.”

Anna’s cold seriousness relaxed when she heard this, and sighed, gazing out one of the many large windows of her office, “I hope for your sake that’s the case.” 

For Tina, there was no need to think about that quite yet, since tomorrow she was going to meet up with the man she had wanted to spend more time with after two years of not seeing him, and that was enough to keep her happy.

**[Text To: Unknown Number]**

**15:31 PM**

**Hey James, I’m so glad you have a day off! Let’s meet at Lucien’s Café in central London at 4:30 tomorrow. I look forward to seeing you!**

Placing the phone down on the table, she smiled to herself, wondering what she should wear. It would have to be cuter than normal, of course, and since most of her clothes for this season were sweaters and lab coats, she wasn’t sure what would work. As she was pondering this, she got a nearly instant reply from James, causing her smile to grow.

**[Text From: Unknown Number]**

**15:32 PM**

**Sounds good, I’ll see you then.**

**— J**

“So what are you going to wear?” Anna asked, almost reading the young woman’s mind.

“Um... I’m not sure. I don’t really have anything for this kind of occasion.” She answered honestly, tucking the phone back into her pocket.

“Oh you poor girl...” the pharmaceutical executive’s eyes came alive suddenly, “In that case, we _have_ to go shopping.”

A long evening of retail therapy wasn’t what she thought she needed to put her mind at ease, but it worked like a charm, and soon she was having fun picking out different items to try on for her date with Anna by her side. The executive of Echoes was renowned for her stylistic flair, and it was plain to see that she had her fingers on the pulse of the fashion world. Tina was simply looking for a cute dress, some leggings, and a jacket to keep her warm on the cool autumn afternoon of her “date”, which wasn’t really a _date_. It didn’t qualify as a date if you made the plans two years ago under extremely perilous circumstances as something to stay alive for, but nevertheless they called it a date as they searched for the perfect outfit.

It felt like she had tried on every damn garment in the store, and each one Anna had something negative to say about each one. “Too flowery for an autumn date”, “the cleavage is too deep”, “the cleavage isn’t deep enough”— it went on and on.

Tina started to wonder if they wouldn’t find anything at all when finally, the exasperated saleswoman pulled a dress from their stock that wasn’t even available to the general public yet. Anna Winehouse was anything _but_ the general public, however, which made it all possible. “Here’s a dress I picked out from the unavailable stock personally, Miss. I believe it will compliment your figure and capture the image of a casual fall date perfectly.” The assistant said with a bow, offering up their last hope.

Fortunately for all of them, it was perfect. The dress was a bandeau skater with beautiful dark floral with fall colors mixed in, mostly navy blues, deep reds, cream whites, and army greens. It was strapless and had a very form-fitting bodice down to the waist, then expanded into the skirt which hit just above the knees. It had the perfect amount of cleavage to keep a guy interested without putting too much out there, the floral pattern was very seasonal, and it fit the curves of her body like a glove.

Even Tina herself couldn’t believe how good she looked in it and blushed when she thought of wearing it to see James. “That one is perfect, we’ll take it.” Anna said definitively, and everyone agreed with her. While they were still shopping, she picked out a slouchy army green cardigan with brown wooden buttons to wear over the dress and some over the knee knitted cream white socks. Finally, she tried on some dark brown combat boots and a slouchy black beanie to complete the outfit. By then, she was completely out of energy and let Anna’s driver take her home while Anna picked out the rest.

The day of her “big date”, Tina slept in late and woke up after her lectures had finished. Perhaps it was karma telling her not to go out and spend all the night shopping. As she climbed out of bed to make some coffee, she noticed something sitting at the door to her apartment. A box. 

Curiously, she pulled it inside, opening the mysterious package to find it had a card with with an expensive bottle of perfume in it. First, she read the card.

**My Dear Tina,**

**You are a stunner and will blow him away tonight in that show-stopping dress. Don’t worry about paying, these are all gifts from me. Please try to remember how rich I am as the CEO of Echoes. The perfume I selected was your mother’s favorite, and it suited her perfectly. Sweet with a subtle undertone of spice. I hope it is to your liking. See you on Monday. **

**All my love,**

**Anna**

It was hard to keep from getting emotional while reading the card, since she had never had someone to look out for her in a motherly way before. “Thank you, Anna.” The young woman whispered while wiping her eyes. She grabbed the perfume and spritzed it into the air, leaning forward to catch a whiff.

It was perfect.

Like Anna had described, there was a delicate balance of sweet and spicy that made it alluring yet mysterious. It fit very well for a fall “date” and she applied to her neck and wrists immediately. For the next few hours, she studied until it was time to get ready. She applied a transparent plum-colored lip balm that only showed a hint of color before applying light smokey-eye makeup and a small amount of blush. When her makeup was done, she moved onto her hair, which she pinned to one side and braided, securing it with a black ribbon. Then, she put on her clothes, and her green eyes opened wider when she saw herself in the mirror.

Never in her life had she looked this beautiful— nor had she ever looked more like her mother. All she wanted to do was meet with James. She hadn’t stopped thinking about him at all since they bumped into each other, and it was driving her nuts, so she resolved to get to the café early.

Slipping on her new combat boots, she ran out to the tube and rode it into the center of town, then made her way to Lucien’s Café.


	3. Older Now

When Tina finally made it to the café she had chosen, she immediately climbed the stairs to claim her favorite spot on the second level overlooking a park and the Thames. With a shaky exhale, she sat down and took out a book from her usual messenger bag to read while she waited in order to calm her nerves. She had said they would meet up at 4:30, and it was now around 4:15. The young woman had defied death and waited two years for this. Hopefully she wouldn’t mess anything up.

Green eyes darted across every page of the book, barely retaining anything they read due to her mind being elsewhere, but she tried her best to forget about the time and who she was meeting up with. After about ten minutes, she finally got into the narrative of the story, jumping in shock when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Ah, hey— I didn’t mean to scare you, I’m sorry.” James’ warm tone came from behind, and immediately she got up from her seat, feeling dumb already.

“No no, it’s okay! I was asking for it by reading so intently.” Shereplied, shaking her hands out in front of her.

It was then that James got his first good look of her— and it made him feel almost nervous somehow, which was ironic because he felt more nervous now than he did when in a dangerous situation. In the last two years, Tina had grown up into a stunning young woman, with fantastic stylistic taste and intelligence to boot. She was the whole package and more, which he felt guilty about since it was wasted on a guy who was married to his job.

The atmosphere turned slightly awkward as the young detective stared at her in silence, his blue eyes distant. “James? Is everything okay?” she asked, a look of concern crossing her face.

“Oh— definitely! Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts for a second there. Would you like me to fetch the waiter so we can order something?” He gave her a reassuring smile, consciously trying to relax his body language. This wasn’t normal for him at all; in general he was fairly smooth with women, both as friends and otherwise, but his brain just about stopped whenever he saw Tina. 

“Yeah, that sounds good. Thank you.” She nodded, and watched him descend the old wooden stairs to the first level. As he left, she could smell he was wearing a magnetic cologne, and she noticed he was dressed nicer than usual as well. Was it possible he was trying to impress her? No, it was probably nothing like that. Whatever the case was, that somewhat spicy yet woodsy cologne tempted her to move even closer to him when he returned. Unfortunately, the table was a small square, which meant they had to sit on opposite sides. 

Unbeknownst to her, James was thinking something similar as he sat down. She smelled so good and her hair looked soft and begging to be touched. What a shame it was they couldn’t sit closer. “This is a nice little place. Did you buy that cake you gave me from here?” He inquired, trying to keep his mind off of how much he wanted to run his fingers through that gorgeous strawberry blonde hair. 

“Yes! I hope you liked the cake. They have a lot of other great things on the menu here, too. If you’re hungry for dinner, there are paninis and salads, but if you just want a snack, there are all sorts of goodies to choose from.” She explained, a soft smile on her face. Without her even being aware of it, her green eyes followed his handsome jawline to his neck, then down to his black collared shirt underneath his signature red jacket. The young detective hadn’t changed much; he was the same attractive man that she had known from two years ago, his body still toned and athletic.

Suddenly, words spilled out of her mouth, “I hope you’re being careful. I... Don’t want anything bad to happen to you.” Then, she blushed and looked away, “I know that may sound stupid coming from someone like me, but... I need to know you’re taking care of yourself and not being too reckless.”

At that, James let out a chuckle. “No, no, that’s not dumb at all. Being reckless is sort of what I’m known for, but the higher-ups keep telling me to tone it down, so I’m trying to think of the consequences more often. I can’t say it’s helped much, though.”

Even though his words were somewhat playful, Tina looked at him with concern. “I... Hope you work on that soon, because there are people who care about you and don’t want to see you get hurt.” She said, her tone soft and serious, “Like when you were shot and fell off of the helicopter into the river... I thought...”

“Hey now, don’t consider something so sad just yet. I’m still going strong, aren’t I? You don’t have to worry about me. I’m the best field detective they’ve got!” James shook his head with a smile, then looked at her with his light blue eyes. “Don’t worry so much, alright? I’m fine. I’d tell you more about how my job has been lately, but it’s all classified information. Just believe me when I say I’ll stay alive for some time yet!”

Tina gave him a nod, not entirely convinced, “Well... Alright. If you say so...” At that moment, the waiter came up to ask what they would like to order. They both took another brief second to look over the menu then told him their selection. The waiter then thanked them and took the menus from their table, disappearing down the stairs.

“So, Tina... Tell me, what have you been up to these last couple of years?” James broke the silence between them after the waiter left, a relaxed smile at home on his face, and she couldn’t help but return her own soft smile when she was with him. His energy was so positive and comforting that she felt like she could bask in it forever and never tire of it. Normally, she was a reserved, quiet type but with James, she felt herself opening up to him easily, telling him all sorts of things about the last two years.

She told him about her decision to go into medicine after everything that happened with the masks, how she had grown close to Anna Winehouse and how she saw the executive as something akin to a mother, how her father had cried when she moved into a new apartment closer to school, about acing the exams and becoming the favorites of all the teachers. James listened with interest— he laughed when she told a joke, was serious when she spoke about something sad, and even offered up some anecdotes of his own from his Uni days. It was all so much fun that she barely noticed how good her sandwich was, or how the rest of the place was deserted as they talked into the night. 

Sometime around 10, the manager himself finally shooed them out. Tina insisted on paying for the meal, saying it was again a thank you gift for all he had done for her, and they soon found themselves on the chilly nighttime streets of London. By James’ suggestion, they walked side by side to the park where they had first come to know each other after the incident in the SSC’s safe house. It was chilly enough that they could see their breath as they sat down on a bench by the breathtaking water features, andTina was infinitely glad she was wearing such a warm cardigan.

“Are you cold at all? Those socks don't look too warm.” The young detective asked, gesturing to her cream-colored knitted socks.

With a slight smile, Tina leaned against his shoulder and closed her eyes. “Mmm... I’m a bit chilly, but as long as you stay close, I’ll be okay.” She murmured, wanting nothing more than to stay exactly like this forever. Over the course of the evening, she had become even more comfortable with him, comfortable enough to lean on him like she was now. As a reserved girl, it said a lot that she trusted James enough to be so close. He had fought long and hard to save her life two years ago after all, which made him all the more trustworthy in her eyes.

Before he realized it himself, the young detective had placed his arm around her, bringing her in closer to him. The movement came so naturally to him he couldn’t believe it— it was like instinct. It was like how his body moved automatically during a fight, parrying a blow or dodging a punch. It felt _good_. From here, he could smell the sweet scent of her perfume, feel the measured rhythm of her heartbeat, hear her steady breathing. He never would of imagined the night going so well and that he would enjoy himself so much.

Noting how she had her eyes closed for a couple minutes now, James wouldn’t help but smile. “Are you tired? Talking for that long would take it out of anybody, you know. Plus, it’s getting late— Would you like me to walk you home?”

Even though she knew he was only trying to be attentive to her needs, her heart sunk when he talked of parting. She wanted to stay just as they were and never wanted to leave. Her green eyes opened to gaze into his blue ones, a sadness within them as she let out a sigh.

“What, what is it?” James frowned, not knowing where this sudden change of disposition had come from. Did he say something wrong?

Tina broke eye contact and looked away, spurring James to pull her even closer. “I... I _am_ tired but...” her voice faded into the night, melancholy saturating each word.

“But?” He asked again, concern on his features.

“I... don’t want this to be the last time I see you. I know you’re always flying by the seat of your pants with your job and I have no right to intrude on your professional life, but... I want to be with you more. I don’t want to lose you again like after the incident in my mother’s old lab. You didn’t even say goodbye to me, even after we went through so much together. I had always felt this special connection with you because you took the time to ask me what _I_ wanted and what _my_ feelings were. You advocated for me and made me realize what I want is important too. I just... I don’t want to lose you again, even if it’s unfair of me to say...” her words came out slowly, and by the time she spoke her last sentence, they were saturated with emotion that she was trying her hardest to hold back— and it broke James’ heart.

He had never known that not saying goodbye to her had left an emotional scar on her like this, since for him, leaving without a goodbye happened often in his line of work. As he sat next to her now, he didn’t want to leave. Tina was right when she said they had a special connection, and he had been wrong to close himself off after the mask case was concluded. “Tina, I—” he began, his tone low and apologetic before getting cut off.

“Please James... Please say you won’t leave me alone again without saying goodbye like you did back then. If you can promise you won’t, I’ll let you take me home, but if not... I’ll stay right here until the sun rises.” Her stunning green eyes finally rose to meet his again, the determination in them clear as day.

If this wasn’t an important moment, James would’ve smiled. She had become so bold, so sure of herself. Tina was now a strong young woman— one he didn’t _want_ to say goodbye to. One he felt more like he _couldn’t_ say goodbye to even if he had to with each passing minute. The realization came like a smack in the face, and he let out a deep breath before replying.

“Tina, I’m sorry I left without saying goodbye. It was careless of me. I used to think the only thing I cared about was my job as a detective and those I worked with, but... I was wrong. There are others I care about outside of the SSC, and one of those people is _you_.” In her heart, she knew his words were sincere, and she couldn’t help the reddish hue that appeared on her cheeks as he spoke. “Because my friends at the SSC knew I had nothing going on other than solving cases, they called on me whenever they needed someone. If I tell them that I need some more time to myself outside of work, I’m sure they’d be open to it. So... I’ll make time to spend with you, I promise. I’m not going anywhere this time.” By the time he finished speaking, a slight, reassuring smile had formed on his face, letting her know it was going to be okay. He wasn’t going to leave.

“James...” she whispered, her eyes brimming with tears she had never wanted to show him, “Thank you...” 

“Hey now, what are those tears for? Wasn’t that what you wanted?” he chuckled lightly, brushing away a tear that ran down her cheek.

Her heart brimming with happiness, she nodded, “Yes... Yes!”

Tina gazed up at the young detective through her tears, and due to her pure joy in the moment, she was able to do something she never thought she’d have to guts to do— the young woman leaned forward quickly and pressed her lips onto his.

Within a few seconds, her mind caught up with her body and she realized what she was doing. As quickly as she had leaned forward to start the kiss, she stopped it, immediately looking down and putting her hands over her face in embarrassment.

She could feel her cheeks burning as she stammered, “A-Ah! I’m so— so sorry, I was just... Really happy and you’re really handsome and smell incredible and—“ Tina cut herself off when she remembered that it was her first kiss, which meant it was likely embarrassingly bad, as if this situation wasn’t embarrassing enough. “O-oh, and... Oh god, I’m so sorry if that was terrible, I’ve never kissed anyone before and I’ve— I’ve actually never wanted to until right now so... I’m sorry!”

James simply sat there in shock as the young woman before him rambled on, not having expected that turn of events in the least. That wasn’t to say he didn’t like it, though. The detective blinked a couple of times while Tina continued to ramble, saying it was her first kiss. How was it possible for anyone to be this damn cute?

“It’s okay, it’s okay! You don’t have to apologize— really!” he told her with a chuckle, watching her as she held her hands over her face. “It wasn’t that bad for a first time, I promise.” 

His comforting words caused her to peek out from her hands and ask, “I-it... It wasn’t?”

“No, it wasn’t... However...” James’ smile turned flirty as he gently pulled her hands away from her face, “It makes me want to show you how to do it _properly_. Will you l let me?” 

“Pl-please do.” she nodded, nearly dying from embarrassment.

With her consent, he leaned in and kissed her again, this time with one of his hands on her cheek while his other arm wrapped around her to pull her further into him.

Tina felt her face turn hot as their lips met, and she reciprocated the kiss to the best of her ability. After a bit, the detective pulled away, leaving her feeling empty— cold. “Nnn... no, James... Please, don’t stop...” she mewed, clutching onto his shirt as she gazed up at him, her eyes half lidded.

When she looked at him like that, he couldn’t refuse even if he wanted to, and pulled her closer until she was nearly on his lap, connecting his lips with hers yet again. Playfully, he added a bit of tongue to the kiss, nearly melting when she moaned softly in surprise. God, she was perfect. How had she become this incredible in two short years? His career had always taken precedence over romance, and with girls who had been mildly desirable, it was an easy choice to make it his priority, but now— now there was a girl kissing him who ticked all his boxes, including some he didn’t even know he had.

Eventually Tina pulled away, her cheeks rosy and adorable as she looked away, embarrassed. "You know, um... Now that you've kissed me like that, you _really_ can't leave without saying goodbye..." 

With a smile, the detective pulled her closer. "Don't worry, you're not getting away from _me_ that easily." 

Mirroring his smile, she planted another kiss on his lips before giggling softly, "Well if that's true, you better always find me Mr. Detective!" 

"I will, just like I did last time. I promise." James told her, his tone more serious than she expected it to be, but it warmed her heart. She trusted him completely. 

"Good, I'll hold you to that." she murmured, cuddling up to him to help combat the cold of the night. She felt so comfortable, so safe. Without meaning to, she let out a yawn, causing James to chuckle. 

"Alright Miss Knee Socks, it's time for me to take you home. I have work early tomorrow and it looks like you're fading fast." he hugged her tightly to him before letting her go. 

She pouted at him, "Aw, alright. Will you hold my hand as we go home? It's cold and I don't have any gloves." 

"I'd love to. Here." James gave her his hand and they both stood up, heading in the direction of her apartment. She felt like she was on cloud nine. This was only something she had ever dared imagine in her wildest dreams.

When they arrived at her door, still hand in hand, the young detective bent down to give her one more lingering kiss before parting. "I'll let you know as soon as I have more time off, alright?"

Tina nodded, and hugged him tight before finally letting him go. "Be safe until then, okay?... For me."

"Of course I will." he placed his hand on her cheek, and she once again felt his overwhelming warmth and sincerity. "Have a good night, Tina."

"You too, James." she gave him a wave before entering her apartment building, placing her hands in the pockets of her cardigan to keep them warm while in the elevator. As the young woman finally made it to her own home, she collapsed on her bed,heart swelling with happiness. Things had gone well for once in her life, and she wasn’t going to give up on the possibility of being with him for _anything_.

Her bliss lasted a fraction of the time she thought it would when it was all shattered in one moment, her face turning deathly pale. She remembered a promise she had made to Anna— one that said that she was never going to meet up with James after this evening because he invited danger to her life. Now, that was a promise she knew she couldn't keep.


	4. Insomnia

After that night, Tina heard nothing from the young detective for weeks. Was it a fluke? Had it all been in her imagination?

Desperate to keep herself sane, she often replayed how it felt to kiss him in her mind. It was real. But had it actually meant anything to him? She could only pray that was the case.

The doubt settled in after the first couple of weeks went by. No texts, no calls, no anything. She knew well that James was a busy guy, but hadn’t he said he’d tell the SSC to give him more time to himself, for his life outside of work? Was it possible that they had refused his request?

Tonight was another restless night where she tossed and turned in her bed while her mind pestered her relentlessly with insecurity. Gazing over at her alarm clock, the time read 1:53am in glowing red light. “Ughhh...” she grumbled to herself and turned over, placing the pillow over her face in frustration. It was no use. Even though it was a school night, there was little hope for sleeping at all.

Finally, she pulled off the pillow and tossed the covers aside, giving up once and for all. Thinking that perhaps a hot drink would help her fall sleep, she pulled a hoodie on over her T-shirt and sports bra and made her way to the kitchen in her pajama shorts with bare feet. She flipped the lights on, rubbing her eyes from the sudden brightness. Tiredly, she pulled out some coffee and placed it in the coffee maker, eventually sitting down at the small table in her kitchen to wait for it to brew. Tina had poured in enough ingredients to make two or three cups of coffee even though she knew she wouldn’t drink that much. 

Crossing one leg over the other, she leaned back and closed her eyes just to rest them for a little bit. They stung from all the hours she had spent studying earlier in the evening, so it felt nice. For a few minutes she sat like that, completely still, until a buzz sounded from the door. Taken completely by surprise, she nearly jumped a foot before realizing what it was.

“Who could that be...? Its so late!” she muttered to herself, convinced that it was likely a lost drunken stranger or her father coming over because he missed her, though that had happened less and less lately as he got used to the fact that she had moved away. Opening the door, she young woman began to ask, “What is it?” Before stopping in her tracks.

“James?! What— what are you doing here?!” She asked, her green eyes wide. It wasn’t like she wasn’t happy to see him, but it was surprising. Intuition told her that something must be wrong for him to arrive at her door at 2am, but she tried to shake it off.

“Hey Tina,” he smiled, visibly tired, “I didn’t think you’d be awake this late.”

“Well I... Was having some trouble sleeping, so I was just brewing some coffee. Is everything okay?” she stood in the doorway looking up at him with a concerned expression that James couldn’t help but find comforting.

The young detective nodded, “Things are fine, I’ve been caught up with a tough case lately so I haven’t had time to contact you, but I just... _Needed_ to see you.”

At his words, Tina blushed a little, her eyes drawn to his lips unintentionally as she remembered the last time they had stood in this doorway. “O-oh, thanks, I...” she mumbled, not exactly sure what to say in response. Being around him always made her feel a bit flustered, and what he was saying wasn’t helping at all.

“... Is it okay if I come in for a little? I could really go for a cup of coffee.” He said, shoulders dropping slightly with his obvious fatigue.

The young woman nodded immediately and opened the door, “Oh— Of course! Please, come in. It’s small, but at least I have it all to myself thanks to my income at the lab.”

James stepped into the her flat for the first time, taking a quick glance around before his eyes met back with hers. “It’s nice. It has your touch to it I think.”

“Thanks, I decorated it myself, so that’s good to hear.” she flashed him a small smile, “Follow me, I’ll get you some coffee. It’s freshly brewed, too.” The young woman led him into the kitchen and poured two hot cups of coffee, mixing in a little milk with her own before moving to a sofa in the flat’s small living area. Out of habit, she immediately curled up on her side of the couch, sipping at her coffee.

James followed her gladly and sat down next to her, taking a drink of his coffee and relaxing into the couch with a contented sigh. Now that he was in better light, she could tell he hadn’t gotten much sleep lately if at all. It worried her, of course, but she didn’t know if she could ask about it since it was likely classified information. Instead of asking about why he was so exhausted, she settled with asking, “When was the last time you slept? You look exhausted.”

Her words brought a smile to his lips and he joked, “It’s that bad, huh?”

At his response, Tina frowned, her eyebrows coming together in concern. “You can’t run yourself this ragged, you know. Your body won’t be able to function properly without time to rest.”

The young detective let out a deep sigh and placed his coffee on a nearby coffee table. “I haven’t had much of a choice. It seems like the second I leave work, I’m being called back, so I’ve pulled a couple all-nighters. Nothing I can’t handle though, so don’t worry. Lennox told me I needed to go home tonight and get some rest and said he wouldn’t let me back on the case unless I got 8 hours of sleep.”

At his explanation, her frown only deepened, and she spoke seriously, “You need to take better care of yourself, sleep is important to both the cognitive and physical functions of your body! Mr. Gallagher was right, you need to rest!”

For a moment, James stared at her and she thought maybe she had gone too far, but after that moment, his face cracked a grin and he began to chuckle. “You really _are_ going into medicine, aren’t you? You’re reprimanding me exactly like my GP does.”

“R-really? I’m sorry, I just... I’m worried about you.” The young woman blushed and curled up even tighter on her side of the couch, trying to hide the redness with her coffee cup.

“Yes, really. I’m proud of you.” He smiled at her, then leaned forward and took her coffee cup from her hands gently, placing it beside his on the coffee table. “I’m glad I came here first. Seeing you makes me feel much better.” With the warm smile remaining on his face, he moved closer to Tina and muttered, much more to himself than to her, “I guess that says something, doesn’t it?”

At first, she was confused to whyhe took away her cup until he moved closer. The action and the sweet words coming out of his mouth made her blush increase substantially.

“Come closer, you don’t have to sit so far away from me, you know.” A moment of Tina’s hesitation went by before he held out his hand for her to take, and another passed before she took it with her own. She was nervous and self conscious about what she did around him, but his blue eyes seemed to say, ‘trust me’, so she did.

A soft sound of shock left her lips as he pulled her by the hand, then by the hip until she was straddling his lap and facing him. The swift movement brought them so _close_ so quickly that Tina hardly had any time to react. No one had ever been this close to her before. Last time, they had gotten close, but not _this_ close. Because it was so sudden, she looked down immediately, not knowing what to do or say, but James lifted her chin gently. “That’s better. Now I can get a proper look at you.”

The young woman stayed silent, her heart beating too hard for her to think of anything other than how close their bodies were. A warm hand caressed her cheek and light blue eyes searched her face. “You were always a pretty girl, but I never knew you’d grow up to be this beautiful.” He said softly, a little color appearing on his cheeks as well now. What was he even saying? These sappy words just came out without even thinking about them, which was a far cry from the other relationships he had been in. Often, he tried too hard to be smooth, but this time it just came naturally somehow. Damn, no matter how he looked at it, he was utterly smitten.

The way her strawberry blonde hair reflected the lamplight, her big green eyes and how they held such stoicism yet also innocence, the hourglass curves of her body which he traced unconsciously with his free hand, that damn beautiful face which he couldn’t get out of his thoughts, her amazing, capable mind by far sharper than any blade. And, god, that adorable blush that told him she was feeling as nervous as he was, yet trusting him anyway... It was all perfect in every sense of the word.

Everyday he saw couples who were in love and had perhaps felt that strongly about a couple girls in the past, but he was sure that was nothing compared to this. As he took her in, he felt like he was free falling from such great heights that he dare not look down, and even if he did, he was certain there would be no end in sight. Was it normal to feel like this from only _looking_ at the person? James didn’t know, but as he looked at her, he _did_ know that he could never feel this way about anyone else. Even though this was the very beginning of what they had together, he knew now that it could only be _her_. Two years ago, he almost died protecting her, and now he understood exactly why he did it.

James’ intense gaze caused the young woman to lower her gaze bashfully, and at long last she spoke, “I-if... You’re going to look at me like that... Why don’t you just kiss me?”

Her voice brought him back fully to the present and he gave her a knowing smile, “You have a good point there.”

Still, he took in one more flawless image of her before using his hand on her cheek to bring her lips to his. Even if Tina’s kisses weren’t perfect yet, they were affectionate and filled with a passion that welled up from deep inside of her. Like last time, he slipped his tongue into the kiss, eager to taste her again as he pulled her body closer to his own. Her body responded naturally to his touch, pressing forward into him as their kiss deepened.

For Tina, it felt like she was dreaming again. In truth, she had missed him terribly since the last time they had seen each other, and each time they met, her desire to be close to him grew exponentially. She couldn’t get enough of him, and knew she probably never would— she’d have to keep coming back to him over and over and over again.

As she felt his hands move to trace her hips, the young woman became a little more bold and threaded her fingers into his chestnut brown hair, which she found to be a good move on her part by the way James’ hands went downeven further, wandering down her curves until it found their resting place on her ass. When he gave it a gentle squeeze, she was more than surprised by the volume of the moan that escaped into the kiss and by how the sensation of the touch fed right to a growing need in her core. Embarrassed, Tina pulled back and looked away, blushing up to her ears. “I... I’m sorry, I don’t know—” she began to say in order to cover it up, but there was no hiding it. James knew.

“How are you so damn _cute_?” he swore, his mouth connecting with hers eagerly once again, but this time with more hunger than before.

“James—... _Mnnn_...” she mewed, still embarrassed but unable to resist the growing passion in his kiss. When his hands moved back down to her ass, she flinched slightly in anticipation, yet the squeeze that she was waiting for never came. Instead, he led her hips forward then back in a steady grinding motion, causing her to feel his arousal for the first time.

Once again, the sensation went straight to her core, setting a fire that she knew could easily burn out of control if she wasn’t careful. James _wanted_ her— or at least his body did, and that was enough to melt away almost all her reason. Almost. As much as she wanted to continue, to reach heights she had never been to before with _him_, she knew it would be a mistake to rush into things just because their bodies were _highly_ compatible and his every touch was like electricity on her skin.

The chemistry between them was undeniable and nearly irresistible, but things were going too fast. Gradually, she moved her hands from his hair to his chest and pushed against it a little, breaking off the kiss. “James...” she murmured with a strange mix of longing and apology in her voice.

The young detective realized immediately what he was doing and gave her a guilty smile. “Shit— Sorry, Tina, I... Got a little bit ahead of myself there.”

She shook her head and mirrored his smile with a soft one of her own. “No, don’t be sorry. I feel the same way, but...” _But_? She hesitated, not wanting to say she wasn’t ready because it might make James think she wasn’t into him. Coming up with another reasonable excuse on the spot, she added, “But you need to get some sleep. This isn’t the restful activity your body needs right now.”

“You’re right as usual Dr. Hurst.” he agreed with a hint of a smile, giving her one last kiss before letting himself relax into the couch. With this action, his exhaustion hit him again, and he couldn’t imagine making his way back home like this. Tina, who was blushing after he called her “Doctor Hurst”, had a general air of tiredness about her as well, and he really didn’t want to leave her yet. “Hey, can you lay with me for a while? I want to stay here for a bit before going home.”

There was nothing she wanted more than to spend more time with him, so she nodded immediately. “Of course! Rest here all you want. If you want to use my bed, or for me to leave you alone for a while, I’d understand, too.“ Even though she didn’t want to leave his side, the young woman knew it was more important for him to rest up right now. What would happen if he was faced with a dangerous situation while in this state? His body might not be able to provide the reflexes that it took to stay alive, and if he died only because she refused to let him sleep on his own, she would never forgive herself.

“Nah, that won’t be necessary. I can fall asleep just about anywhere if I need to.” He shook his head, then sat up again. “I’d appreciate it if you could turn off the lights, though.”

“Sure!” Tina agreed readily, getting off of him and walking to the kitchen to turn off the lights. Then, she turned off another lamp right by the couch and saw James was already laying down, resting his eyes. “Are you sure you don’t want me to leave you be?” She asked again, not wanting to be a disturbance to him in any way.

“No, no, come here.” He answered, opening his eyes and shifting further into the couch, patting the space he had just created for her.

“Ah... Okay...” A bit reluctantly, she stepped over to the couch to lie down next to him, her heart beating fast for some reason. It was true that she had never slept with a guy before, both in the sexual and literal sense, so it was a new thing to be invited to sleep next to the person she liked.

“C’mere.” He ordered her in the dark as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer. Now, her head was on his chest while her body was pressed up against his. The young detective was so warm that she didn’t even need a blanket to feel comfortable, which was very abnormal for her. Usually, she was cold in this apartment and stacked blankets up on her bed. Laying here with James was so different with his warmth and the steady sound of his heartbeat luring her to sleep.

There was a long silence before James finally said, “Let’s lay here for a couple hours, okay? After that, I’ll wake up, go home, and continue to rest there.”

“Okay.” She nodded into his chest, inhaling the scent that had become so calming to her— _his_ scent.

“Sounds like a plan.” he murmured, “Goodnight for now. I’ll wake you up in a couple hours.” Then he leaned over to kiss her head, which wasn’t nearly enough of a goodnight kiss for her.

“James...” she whined softly, looking up at him in the dark.

“Hm...?” His response was sleepy and lethargic.

“More. Please.” The young woman’s voice was an embarrassed whisper, and she was very glad he couldn’t see how much she was blushing.

James chuckled. “Oh, what am I gonna do with you?” Once again, he leaned over, but this time enough to kiss her on the lips nice and slow. Then, he planted several small kisses around her face and neck, finally going in for one last, affectionate kiss. After a few moments, he broke it off, whispering with a smile in his tone, “That enough?”

“Y-Yes.” she agreed, then snuggled into his shoulder comfortably.

“Alright. Goodnight then.” He said, leaning back and tightening his hold around her.

“Goodnight, James.”


End file.
